Hollinger Loves Elton Brand

Now the Sixers will have decent size and great defense at all their positions also (possibly excepting Miller). Iggy is big for a 2-guard and is a great defender (as is Thad). Having both of them out there at once and it'll be hard for SGs or SFs to score on them. Throw Brand into the mix (a plus defender himself) and it is even better.

I also like the move as now Brand draws the double teams instead of Iggy. Now Iggy and Thad can get some more open looks.

First off, let me say: I'm a big fan of baseball sabermetrics, so while I appreciate what Hollinger does, I'm a bit more skeptical with regard to the basketball version for several reasons. That being said, I love what Hollinger forecasts here:

"My basic rule of thumb is every additional point of PER over 2,000 minutes of play is worth an additional win, meaning replacing the Smith/Evans combo with Brand should be worth nearly 10 wins.

If so, that takes the Sixers from 42.5 wins a season ago (their expected wins based on their point differential) to 52 in 2008-09.

Brand is a much better pick than Smith. First, if we have to learn anything from the Celtics this year is that experience translates into championships. Smith doesn't have the experience that Brand has. Nor is Smith yet as good a low post player as Brand. If the 76'ers had Brand in the playoffs they would have given the Pistons real trouble. Now they need an outside shooter and I predict they will go to the finals in two years.